Saudis Say No to Israeli Displacement Agency

Saudi Arabia on Monday condemned Israel’s announcement of establishing an agency aimed at displacing Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.

In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry also denounced “the approval of the separation of 13 illegal settler neighborhoods in the West Bank, paving the way for their legitimization as colonial settlements.”

Saudi Arabia reiterated its “unwavering rejection of Israel’s continuous violations of international law and international humanitarian law.”

The Kingdom further stressed that “lasting and just peace cannot be achieved without the Palestinian people obtaining their legitimate rights in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”

Israel’s Security Cabinet has approved the formation of a directorate to encourage what it called the “voluntary departure” of Palestinians from the war-ravaged Gaza Strip.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement late Saturday that the new directorate will work to “prepare for and enable safe and controlled passage of Gaza residents for their voluntary departure to third countries.”

Katz’s office said the new administration will be responsible for establishing movement routes, checking pedestrians at designated crossings in Gaza, and coordinating the provision of infrastructure that will enable passage by land, sea, and air to the destination countries.

Trump has repeatedly called to “take over” Gaza and resettle its population to develop it into a tourist destination. His plan was rejected by the Arab world and many other nations, who say it amounts to ethnic cleansing according to Anadolu.

The Israeli army launched a surprise aerial campaign on the Gaza Strip on March 18, killing at least 730 people and injuring nearly 1,200 others despite a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January.

Over 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and more than 113,000 injured in a brutal Israeli military onslaught on Gaza since October 2023.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.​​​​​​​

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

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Why is Halevi Visiting Washington Weeks Before He Steps Down?

Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi is set to travel to Washington on Sunday for talks with US military officials, the army said.

A military statement said Halevi will meet with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), and other senior officials to discuss key strategic and operational issues.

Halevi “will take the opportunity to express his gratitude to his counterparts for their support, commitment, and personal ties,” the statement said.

The three-day visit comes a few weeks before Halevi steps down.

Last month, the army chief of staff said he would resign as of March 6.

The visit comes as a ceasefire agreement took effect in Gaza on Jan. 19, halting Israel’s genocidal war, which has killed more than 48,200 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave according to Anadolu.

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‘All Hell Won’t Be Breaking Loose After All’

The crisis arising from a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas seems to be heading toward a resolution, Israeli media reported late Wednesday.

“After Hamas announced that it would suspend the release of prisoners, the crisis that erupted in the prisoner swap agreement appears to be on the path to being resolved,” said Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.

The report also said that three Israeli prisoners are expected to be released on Saturday.

An unnamed Israeli official was quoted as saying that both Israel and Hamas want the first phase of the agreement to succeed and Hamas has sent messages indicating its willingness to continue the deal.

The official also said US President Donald Trump’s threat that “all hell is going to break out” if Hamas does not release the remaining hostages by noon Saturday “put Israel in a dilemma.”

Israel’s Channel 12 also reported that international organizations are expected to deliver urgently needed fuel and medical supplies to Gaza on Thursday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened Tuesday to end the Gaza ceasefire deal if Hamas failed to release hostages by Saturday at noon.

The threat came a day after Hamas said that it would delay the next hostage release in response to Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement.

Palestinian authorities have listed a series of Israeli violations of the deal, including the shooting of civilians and denying access to relief materials, including tents for displaced civilians in Gaza.

Under the first phase of the ceasefire deal, 33 Israeli hostages are to be released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

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Trump’s ICC Betrayal

Amnesty International on Friday criticized US President Donald Trump’s executive order imposing sanctions on the ICC after it issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former minister Galant, saying it “betrays” the international justice system. In a statement, Agnes Callamard, secretary general of the rights group based in the UK, said the sanctions suggest Trump endorses the Israeli government’s crimes and is embracing impunity. “This reckless action sends the message that Israel is above the law and the universal principles of international justice,” she added.

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